How to Wash and Care for Embroidered Clothing and Hats
Embroidery is built to last. Thread stitched into fabric does not crack or peel the way a print can, and with a little care a logo, name or monogram should look sharp for as long as you wear the piece. Here is how we care for embroidered items, and the reasons behind each step.
Start with the care label
Every garment and hat carries its own care label, written for the whole piece: the fabric, the dye, the trims and the construction. A cotton tee, a performance polo, a fleece jacket and a trucker cap all want different things. Check the label first. Everything below works alongside it, not instead of it.
A word about bleach
Most care guides say bleach will fade embroidery thread. For the thread we use, that is not quite the whole story. We stitch with Madeira Polyneon, a polyester embroidery thread its maker describes as having “extreme washing resistance to chlorine and bleach.”
That does not make bleach safe. Two reasons to skip it anyway:
- The garment usually can’t take it. Chlorine bleach fades dyes and weakens fibers. Thread that survives bleach on a faded, weakened shirt is not a win.
- Not all embroidery is polyester. Everything above is about polyester embroidery thread. Other threads, such as rayon and cotton, do not make that promise. If you do not know what a piece was stitched with, assume bleach will harm it.
The short version: skip chlorine bleach on anything embroidered.
Snags: the one thing to watch
Lettering and borders are often stitched with satin stitches: long strands of thread laid side by side across the top of the fabric. They give embroidery its smooth, glossy look. They also sit on the surface, and the wider the column, the longer each strand and the easier it is for something to hook it. Filled areas are stitched in short, tight rows and are much harder to catch.
In the washer and dryer, the usual culprits are other items tumbling in the same load: zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, hooks, buckles and rough, heavy fabrics.
In everyday wear, watch for hook-and-loop on jackets and bags, backpack straps, keys, jewelry and pet claws.
If a stitch does catch, don’t pull the loop. Pulling draws more thread out of the design. Leave it as it is and get in touch with us, and we will take a look.
Washing
- Turn the item inside out. This protects the front of the design from everything else in the load.
- Close zippers and fasten hook-and-loop on everything in the load, and keep embroidered pieces out of loads with jeans, jackets or anything with heavy hardware.
- Use cold water and a gentle cycle.
- Use a mild detergent, and skip chlorine bleach.
- Wash similar colors together.
Drying
Dry on low heat or hang to dry. High heat shrinks many fabrics, and when the fabric shrinks around the stitching, the design can pucker. Low heat is also gentler tumbling, which means fewer chances for a snag. Take items out promptly so they do not sit crumpled.
Ironing
Turn the piece inside out, lay the design face down on a folded towel, and press from the back at the setting the care label allows. Press around the stitching rather than directly on it, and never iron straight across the front of the embroidery.
Stains
Treat the stain, not the stitches. Blot with a damp cloth and a little mild detergent or a pretreater, working from the back where you can. Do not scrub across the embroidery; scrubbing roughs up the thread and leaves it fuzzy. Then wash as above.
Hats: the construction decides
With hats, it is not the embroidery that decides how to clean them. It is how the hat is built.
- Structured caps, such as a Richardson 112 trucker or a low profile performance cap, have a stiffened front and a shaped bill. Spot clean or hand wash in cool water with a mild detergent and a soft brush, and do not soak the bill. Richardson itself recommends hand washing and spot treating its caps. Air dry on a rounded form, such as a balled-up towel.
- Leather patch hats have a faux leather patch heat pressed to the front. Spot clean only, and never iron the patch.
- Unstructured caps and bucket hats have no stiff front, but hand washing is still the safe route. Reshape them while damp and air dry.
- Knit beanies can go in the washer on a cold, gentle cycle inside a garment bag, or be washed by hand. Lay flat to dry.
- Never put a hat in the dishwasher or the dryer. Heat and hot detergent warp foam fronts and bills and shrink the crown.
Storage
Fold garments so the crease does not run through the design, or hang them. Store hats on a shelf or a form so the crowns are not crushed.
Quick reference
| Step | Do | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Before washing | Read the care label; turn inside out; close zippers and hook-and-loop | Washing with heavy zippered or rough items |
| Washing | Cold water, gentle cycle, mild detergent | Chlorine bleach |
| Drying | Low heat or hang to dry | High heat |
| Ironing | Inside out, design face down on a towel, press around it | Ironing directly on the stitching |
| Stains | Blot and pretreat, from the back if possible | Scrubbing the embroidery |
| Snags | Leave it and contact us | Pulling the loop |
| Structured caps | Spot clean or hand wash, air dry on a form | Washer, dryer, dishwasher |
| Leather patch hats | Spot clean | Ironing the patch, washer, dryer |
| Beanies | Gentle cold cycle in a garment bag, lay flat | Dryer |
Need something embroidered?
We embroider hats, apparel, bags and most fabric items in our Indianapolis workshop. Tell us what you have in mind through our custom order form, and we usually reply the same day.